Sidekick Tomato Soup

A favorite at Cowgirl Creamery’s Sidekick Cafe in San Francisco, this soup is a grilled cheese sandwich’s best friend. Its success depends on really good canned tomatoes and long, slow simmering, so that all the flavors meld.

Warm Soba Noodle Bowl

A popular Japanese winter dish, warm soba with toppings is just the thing for lunch on an overcast day. The broth is made with dashi, a staple soup base whose delicate flavor comes from dried bonito tuna flakes and seaweed.

Red Russian Kale and Chorizo Soup (Caldo Verde)

Ramen with Ginger Roasted Squash and Crispy Pork Belly

A far cry from the store-bought packages, real ramen starts with amazing broth. Chef Kolin Vazzoler, of the late, lamented Shimo Modern Steak in Healdsburg, California, simmered his for 12 hours. Our simplified version of his dish doesn’t take nearly that long, but it’s still over the top, taste-wise.

Miso Soup with Tofu and Nori

Classic. Simple. Comforting. Nothing beats a good bowl of miso soup, and this recipe is sure to become one of your go-tos on rainy days. We used edamame and tofu, but you could substitute cooked meat and most any vegetable you have on hand.

Snap Pea Minestrone with Poached Eggs

This lovely soup is practically spring in a bowl. To make it heartier, scatter quartered cherry tomatoes and croutons on top. Snap peas often have a fibrous string that runs down the pod's straight side; to remove it, snap off the stem end and pull down sharply.

Chicken Laksa

Meatball Vegetable Soup

“When I serve this soup to my 7-year-old,” says Sunset reader Cristina Gonzalez, now of Fredericksburg, VA, “we talk about how his Mexican abuelito [grandfather] and I ate it growing up in L.A., and how he’s eating it now.” She changed out the original beef for turkey. The flavors are very gentle, making this a great family dish.

Crab and Hominy Chowder

Vegetable Minestrone

The variety of the vegetables, two kinds of legumes, and the Italian trick of cooking a bit of parmesan rind in the soup for added flavor create a palate-pleasing minestrone miles beyond the bland bean-and-pasta version so often served. The soup is flexible too; add your favorite vegetables or use whatever is bountiful in your garden this harvest.